October 14th, 2031.
07:40 AM
Morning arrived, and the first rays of light filtered through a half-broken window in the room where they were sleeping. Owen was the first to wake up—usually, it was Alex, but he had overslept due to a restless night. Throughout the night, Alex had woken up several times while everyone else slept soundly. He had gone outside for one cigarette, then two, and by the end, he had smoked five. Returning to the room, he found the others still fast asleep. Vanessa lay curled up like a child, using 80% of the blanket. Alex had managed to wrestle some of it away and spread it so the three of them would have a bit more coverage. Owen, who always felt hot during the night, had foregone the blanket entirely, as if it were summer. He lay down in the middle of the bed, turning to his right side to face Danny. One strand of his hair had fallen across his face. Alex looked at it for a moment before gently tucking it behind Owen's ear and then settling back to sleep.
The night had passed peacefully, with no attacks and a calm atmosphere. However, the morning presented an unexpected scene. Alex was slowly roused by Vanessa's giggles, though she wasn't next to him. Her laughter seemed to come from a little distance, mingled with Owen's husky morning voice, trying to be quiet. Alex dismissed them as they were likely just sharing some private joke. He snuggled deeper into the pillow, which felt unusually comfortable—probably because he was exhausted. Just as he was drifting back to sleep, the voice that had woken him up spoke again.
"It's time to wake up, love birds... get UP!" Vanessa shouted, like the best alarm they could have now.
"If that was effective, so was my brain in math class." Owen added.
"The thing is, you don't have a brain, and they'll have to wake up." Vanessa shot back.
"Okay, okay, just please shut up," Alex said, opening his eyes. He noticed Danny was also waking up. However, as Alex moved to get up, he felt something shifting on the pillow where his head had been. He quickly shifted away from the pillow, hoping Vanessa and Owen hadn't seen anything unusual .What actually happened is that Danny's arm was Alex's pillow through the night, how? He is unsure .
"You slept and still look like you're part of the Russian sleep experiment." Owen teased Alex at the first beginning of his day.
"Owen, please, shut the fuck up... you've stayed the same height since elementary school." Alex retorted as he began stretching and glanced over at Danny, who was still deep asleep despite being woken.
"Fuck you twink." Owen muttered.
"Jesus, just come downstairs. I've opened some cans for breakfast," Vanessa said as she left the room, with Owen following her. However he had to stop and show a middle finger towards Alex before leaving.
Alex got a chance to get dressed while Danny was still in deep sleep. Not even a bomb explosion could rouse him from his slumber.
"Dan... Yah, Dan." Alex spoke up to him, shaking Danny's arm. After a moment, Danny moved and began rubbing his eyes.
"Hmm..." Danny mumbled, barely awake.
"Come on, wake up already. How can you sleep so deeply?"
"Mm... Agh, well, you told me to take a good nap." Danny replied.
"I said a nap, not a fucking coma," Alex said, tossing a pillow at Danny before heading tothe door.
"Get yourself together and go downstairs."
"Okay, mom." Danny grumbled. Alex shot Danny with a look of exasperation, while Danny managed a half-smile.
"Don't even try to continue." Alex warned.
"Mhm, sure." Danny replied, now sporting a full smile as he stood up, his back cracking audibly. Alex went straight to the stairs and found Vanessa and Owen chatting in the hallway. But all this may look sad and depressive, however for Alex this surviving made a comfortable view. Now, they had only each other, and despite some unresolved issues, their relationships had mended a bit. Some past events were still off-limits, but the current situation was more than satisfactory to them.
"Look who's finally up. Where's nerd number two?" Owen asked.
"Your wife will be down soon," Alex replied.
"So funny," Owen mumbled, rolling his eyes.
Soon, Danny joined them for breakfast. Their main meal consisted of well-served tuna from a can, which, surprisingly, hadn't expired yet. After eating, they discussed their plan for the day—who would drive and where they would first stop. As planned, their destination was Medeta, the city now notorious for its infection rates. However, this wasn't a leisurely trip but a fight for survival. They had a full deck of cards, but all were jokers.
09:34 AM
It didn't take long for them to reach their first stop—a river dividing Medeta from their current location. They were surrounded by birch trees, their holes resembling eyes staring into the soul. A thin fog added an eerie touch to the already creepy scene. They had stopped here so Owen could take a piss, but they decided to use the opportunity to search for berries or any lost military equipment. They were instructed to search within a 300-meter radius to avoid getting lost. Each of them went in a different direction, guided by the compass.
Vanessa headed north, either because Alex had suggested it was the safest route or because Owen had simply said, "Norton should go north," or perhaps it was a random choice. To ensure she didn't stray beyond 300 meters, Vanessa counted her steps and dropped branches behind her, reminiscent of the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale. She found nothing of interest except that she reached the river's mouth. Crouching by the water, she touched it as a child might, seeking a brief return to innocence amidst the harsh reality. As she gazed at the clear water, she spotted a white flower growing from it. She didn't recognize it immediately but decided to pull it out. For her graduation exam, she had studied many forest and water plants, and she recalled learning about this one. The Salvia Divinorum flower was bright white and, according to her knowledge, would soon dry out and emit a strong odor when exposed to heat. The leaves contained salvinorin , a potent compound known to induce dissociative states and hallucinations. She remembered her professors discussing how these hallucinations could destroy fungi and weaken organisms.
Instinctively, she decided to pick more and save it. She had a backpack and a jar with bandages. She carefully placed the bandages in a clean cloth and stored the rest of the plants in the jar. After securing the jar in her backpack, she made her way back to Owen and Danny, only to discover that Alex was missing.
"Where is Alex?" Vanessa asked them.
"How am I supposed to know?" Owen responded. But then Vanessa and Owen turned to Danny, who looked confused.
"Why are you looking at me? We all split up at the same time," Danny said.
"It wouldn't be the first time your wayward path becomes a duo journey," Vanessa pointed out.
"And then act like you just have met by some miraculous coincidence," Owen added.
"This is why I hated hanging out with both of you at the same time," Danny sighed.
"Facts and only facts. And where the hell is that nerd? Being late is his specialty," Vanessa said, frustrated about her best friend .
Their concern turned to relief when they heard footsteps approaching from the west. Vanessa didn't turn around but could guess something was not right by Danny's expression and Owen's laughter. When she finally turned around, her emotions shifted from frustration to 'cant believe my eyes'.
"WHAT THE FUCK, ALEX! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Vanessa yelled at her best friend, who emerged from the woods with a bloody face. His nose was bleeding and he had some stretches on his face as well as dirt . Alex responded with a broad smile, holding up a bag that resembled a military satchel.
"Look what I have fouuuund! Isn't it amazing?" Alex said with all excitement but two blondes weren't satisfied with his new look. And Owen of course couldn't stop his laugh.
"Please tell me you fell while walking," Owen was still laughing.
"Even better," Alex replied.
"Oh Jesus," Danny signed as he pressed his hand on his face.
"If you tell me you fell out of a tree," Vanessa began.
"Even better—the tree fell on me," Alex said, grinning.
Danny smacked his own face in disbelief, Vanessa's expression was a mix of giving up and annoyance, while Owen continued to laugh uncontrollably. They eventually returned to the car, where Danny took over the driving. Vanessa made Alex sit in the back and pulled out alcohol to disinfect the scratches on his face.
"You don't have to," Alex protested, pulling himself away from Vanessa.
"I didn't ask you," Vanessa said firmly.
"I'm still surprised by your reckless behavior. You really haven't changed," Owen remarked.
"Who, that shrimp? You're surprised even after SOMEONE managed to jump from a school roof to a church roof just to buy a pack of cigarettes?" Danny respond.
"They weren't for me, initially," Alex explained.
"AKHAM AKHAM, oh, something slipped in my throat. Continue, please," Vanessa interjected.
"Fuck you. But that doesn't matter now. We've got more bullets and some useful items in this bag," Alex said.
"Did you find a brain for yourself ?" Owen asked.
"Just like you found a condom of size XXS," Alex shot back.
"PFFFFF," Danny laughed.
"Funny, so funny, right? How about a jog, Alex? I'm sure Danny would love to join you for some cardio—OUCH, FUCK! YOU LITTLE FUCKING TWINK FUCKER!" Owen's yelp of pain echoed in the car. The cause of Owen's outburst was Alex's deliberate mischief. Anticipating Owen's predictable reaction to the mention of "jog," Alex had knocked Owen's seat, causing him to hit his head against the hard plastic of the car due to the rough road.
"I suppose it hurts when there's nothing inside your head, right Owen?" Alex teased, a smirk playing on his lips.
"...Piece of shit—put that hand back on the wheel, Harding. Try hitting me again, and I'll make sure the next zombie gets a taste of you. Dinner El Harding will be served," Owen growled, rubbing his sore head.
"Whatever you say," Danny replied with a nonchalant shrug.
05:03 PM - Medeta
Till now they were searching the whole block of street and found no one. There were some useful equipment they have found in buildings such as led lights, broken pistols and some bullets. When it comes to broken pistols they saved them because Danny said he could fix them. It took him whole afternoon providing that no one interrupt him. He was so focused on the work he was doing, not even the fly that passed could distract him. He was about to fishing it and put all pieces back together when he got surprised and sacred at the same time. The peace of Danny's task was abruptly shattered when he glanced sideways to find Alex sitting on a block of brick.
"FOR GOD'S SAKE!" Danny leapt from his seat, startled. "You little shrimp... How long have you been there?" Danny hearth was beating so fast , but he quickly become calm.
"Not long, just waiting for you to notice," Alex grinned, clearly amused by Danny's reaction.
Danny, accustomed to Alex's antics, merely patted his head—a sign of both exasperation and familiarity. Despite the interruption, Danny remained focused, finishing up the final touches on the last pistol. However, now Alex was gone. A red apple, an unexpected gift from Alex, sat on the corner of the table. Danny picked it up and took a bite, the crunch momentarily grounding him in a semblance of normalcy.
Meanwhile Vanessa, Owen and Alex put their bags back in car. Their next plan was to go to a place on the hill of Medeta. It was also an abandoned shelter where the lights were constantly turned on at outside, which was of great benefit to them. Before they were supposed to leave when Danny arrived, Alex and Owen decided to enter another building. Just in case they found something useful at the first floor. Vanessa was already in car at the back sit while Danny was sitting at drivers place. The dark was slowly coming which wasn't a good sign since Alex and Owen didn't arrived yet. A tension and quietness could be felt in atmosphere, this wasn't a good idea.
"Next time a zombie attacks me, just let me die," Vanessa's voice was cold and resigned.
Danny remained silent, his attention was on the encroaching darkness.
"Pathetic of you, of course," Vanessa continued, frustration seeping into her words.
"Look, hate me all you want," Danny said quietly. "But don't let it make things harder for the rest of us. We're in this together for now, for your best friend's sake if nothing else." After this you can kill me I won't mind, just don't make it difficult for someone else now." Danny replied to her.
"Like you even care," Vanessa retorted, her voice tinged with bitterness.
"I do," Danny replied, his voice steady. And hate me as much as you want. It won't change it" Danny explained.
"Then why did you say such awful shit about the-" Vanessa was about to counter when a sudden noise shattered their conversation—a gunshot rang out from the building. Panic surged as Danny grabbed his gun and bolted outside, and then Alex and Owen run out of the building.
"Be prepare to shoot there are a lot of them!" Owen
"Is car locked?!" Alex
Danny couldn't respond in seconds because he was already shooting at 2 zombies that were heading towards him. As well as Owen who was fighting with his bare hands managed to chop it head of with a knife. Alex was shooting manually at the zombies that were coming from building. Danny shoot in front and Alex at back, just as they could see better. Alex can't focus things that are close to him and Danny can't see well at a distance, this way it's balanced. Alex saw Vanessa looking from car, as he made an eye contact with her he knew what was about to happen. He run towards Danny and grabbed the keys from his hand. At the moment Vanessa opened the back door to get out, Alex smashed it with his leg. Within a minute a beep could be heard, he locked the car or better said he locked Vanessa in car.
"LET ME OUT, ALEX!" Vanessa's voice was a mix of fear and anger, her tears streaming as she banged on the windows.
Alex's focus was split between defending against the zombies and ensuring Vanessa's safety. She was looking at her friend fight for his life and now she is fully disable to help him. As she was hitting the glass of car trying to break it Alex just looked at her. He also knew that this may be the end and maybe last time he can see his best friend. At least he kept the promised and protected her, with his own life.
"ALEX" Danny
Alex turned around leaving his best friend and went back on his position. There were more and more coming from all sides. Owen and Danny were fighting with their all strength but it wasn't enough. Even with Alex's position it was hard too fight but they had to all of them has the same priority to survive. Again Alex turned around to Vanessa she was safe in car zombies didn't do anything. But now it was Vanessa who was screaming in the car because of the sight in front of her. Just when Alex turned around to make sure everything was okay with her, he got attacked. A zombie like the one that chased Vanessa knocked Alex to the ground in seconds. His rifle flew off the sidelines. If he screams, it's too late for Danny and Owen to react, maybe they'll put their lives at risk. He stayed silent as he pushed zombie with all his force. The shoot was heard. The gun shoot, one. Then another one followed by even more. It was so loud noise but in Alex head it was quite. He already said goodbye to world and drowned into his greatest fear, silence. However, he didn't feel the weight he was pushing away, everything stopped for him. The only thing in his mind was the sky, just like the one from spring break during high school. He was also in this position, laying on green grass instead on this gray concrete. But he wasn't alone back then, and now he felt like he is. Until he got woken up, by known voice yelling his name, from his derealization that started out of fear. Alex was back in reality. There wasn't no more blue sky and bright sun but the suns twin.
"Jesus Christ for fucking sake you fucking idiot." Danny was on Alex's right side but then the sound of pulling the gun and small click was heard.
"Don't move." An unknown voice was heard right behind Danny. It was actually one military guy, all dressed up in an equipped suit. His gun was pointed on Danny. The gun shoots Alex heard were fired by the army. They showed up from north side and fired multiple bullets on zombies, saving three of them. But the army wasn't so friendly looking after they have killed all zombies in the area.
"STOP!" After one guy spoke up the others took instructions and put their guns down. He was also fully cover in military suit. Heading towards them, Danny stood up. Was it to give a respect or to protect "half coma" Alex, only he knows. The commander of military was now in front of Danny, for one head shorter he didn't seemed like a danger to him.
"You haven't changed Harding." The commander took of his full black helmet. Reveling a well-known face to both of them.
"You?" Danny's eyes widened in recognition.
The commander, grinning, stepped forward. "Just your hair's shorter, weirdo." The man who was now greeting Danny with a friendly hand shaking and hug, is Pablo. The guy who saved Owen and Danny from catastrophic event that happened in Viltar. Their old friend from High school, saved them for second time. Alex got up on his feet after the tension flew away, he remembered Pablo also. Danny saw him standing now next to him. Without hesitation he put his hand on Alex's shoulder making sure he won't fall.
"Are you okay?" Pablo asked, concern evident in his tone.
"Yeah, thanks. Is Vanessa—" Alex began, but Pablo cut him off.
"She's with Owen. They're okay. I had to make sure it was really you two since this idiot decided to get a haircut and become unrecognizable." Pablo joked.
"Ha ha, very funny," Danny said, shaking his head. "But you saved us at the last second."
"Yeah, well, let's get moving. It's going to get worse when night falls completely." Pablo said, guiding them to a military vehicle.
They were divided into two groups for transport, with the military ensuring their safety as they were taken to a shelter. The journey was tense but hopeful. As they settled into the relative safety of the shelter, the enormity of their narrow escape began to sink in. And now they are being transferred to one military shelter where they can rest.